Not Another Lonely Birthday
by arei
Summary: With her parents away for business matters, and her old high school friends being away from her, Maki thought it will be her first time in years to be spending her birthday alone, not knowing someone's got a surprise for her. [A late birthday fic for our beloved tomato. AU]
I haven't done a one shot in a while and this is not my originally planned fic for Maki's birthday. Some things happened and I got to finish this first so here.. Haha! Belated Happy birthday Maki!

And hope you enjoy this, despite being somewhat cliche.. :)

* * *

It had been another long school day for the medical student Nishikino Maki. Today is her birthday but it is not an excuse to skip classes so she just went on like it's a normal day. No one in the university knows that it is her birthday. If not for her parents being away at the moment for a business trip, they would've had a dinner together tonight to celebrate it. To make up for it, they promised to do it by the weekend.

Maki walked through the gates of their dormitory and looked up to the window of where her room was supposed to be. Noticing the lights were still off, she sighed and just continued to move on.

 _I guess I'll really be spending it alone this year._ She thought to herself. The lights being off on her room, or actually _their_ room, only means that her roommate is still out. The redhead wasn't expecting anything. In the first place, she didn't told her birdlike roommate that today is her birthday. After a year since she moved in, Maki became close to Minami Kotori. It's just that, they didn't had the chance to talk about her birthday. But Kotori is not the one to talk too. Last September, Maki would not have found out if not for her roommate's childhood friends, Kousaka Honoka and Sonoda Umi, coming over to surprise the bird.

Maki was planning on treating Kotori for dinner to celebrate with her. She was determined on doing that if for some miracle, her roommate would be back by the time she returns from school.

Minami Kotori is a third year major in fashion design and also an uprising model. Her schedule is divided between her studies and work. That's the reason why she always gets back to the dorm, close to the curfew time.

After unlocking the door, Maki sighed to herself one last time before entering their room and turning the lights on. She put her things on the table and sat by her bed.

"Should I have really told her about today? But it's not like she can change her schedule just to celebrate it with me."

Maki lied down and covered her eyes with her arm. Her fatigue from her whole day activities is slowly getting to her. She wondered when the last time she felt alone on her birthday was. Since she was a child, Maki didn't have much close friends. Her parents would throw a party for her and invite everyone in her class. But that's all. None of them were actually close to her. Other than being a shy person herself, others find it hard to approach her because of her social status. When she got into high school, she met Hoshizora Rin and Koizumi Hanayo who became her first real close friends. Since then, she get to spend her birthday with them. But when they graduated, it can't be helped that they were going to attend different universities and be separated. They can barely hang out now due to their own responsibilities in school. The redhead received a greeting from the two earlier this morning. Even though she was happy enough with it, she can't still help but feel lonely, especially now that her last hope of not spending it alone is gone.

"Ahh.. This must be the first time in years.."

It wasn't a big deal for Maki to be alone before. But after knowing how it's like to have someone, she's feeling lonelier than ever.

 _Wait.. Is this really the first time in years? Then how about last year?_

A sudden knock was heard from the door snapping Maki back to reality. And then a familiar sweet voice called out to her.

"Maki-chan, you are there right? Please open up, my hands are full!"

She stared on the door for a while wondering if she was just hearing things. It is still 7:30 in the evening and there is no way Kotori would be done with her work this early.

"Maki-chan? Can you hear me?"

"A-ah I'm coming Kotori!"

Maki ran towards the door and opened it excitedly. Upon opening it, she found her birdlike roommate dressed casually with paper bags on her hands.

"Did you went shopping or something? Let me help you carry those."

"Thanks Maki-chan! You can just put these on the table!"

"O-Okay!"

It is just starting to sink into Maki that, because of some kind of miracle, Kotori is back this early of all days. She had to turn her back to her almost immediately after taking half of the paper bags Kotori is carrying because she felt some tears forming in her eyes. She wiped them as soon as she settled them on the table.

"Why are you home this early tonight Kotori?" Maki inquired to find out what's behind this miracle.

"Ehh? Maki-chan, I know you can be forgetful, and I won't even blame you if you forget about the other thing, but I didn't think you would forget your own birthday for the second time. I asked my manager last week to give me an off today so I'll be able to prepare for your birthday. Look…"

Kotori motioned for her to check the contents of the paper bags. One by one they took it out. Her senior pointed on the spaghetti and box of cake, saying she was the one who prepared them. After that she pointed on the bucket of chicken as something she just ordered.

"And this.." Kotori said grabbing the remaining untouched paper bag, "is my present for you. Happy birthday Maki-chan!" she handed it to Maki.

"H-How did you know? I mean, I did not forget about my birthday. I just did not expect you since you didn't know."

"You really don't remember anything do you? Here look at this."

Kotori reached out to the box of cake and opened its lid revealing the written message on its design.

 _Happy Birthday Maki-chan and, happy 1_ _st_ _anniversary for us!_

As Maki finished reading it silently, a memory from April 19 last year flashed on her mind. The first few weeks of her university life, Maki was being driven to their campus from her house every day. She found it troublesome as it takes her to wake up very early every day because her house is hours away from the campus. She decided to move in to the university dorm. Her parents agreed without second doubts thinking this could help their daughter become more independent. It so happen that it was April 19 when she moved in.

"Happy birthday to you!" was how Kotori greeted her when they first met on their room. Maki was dumbfounded and wondered if the person in front of her was mocking her.

"Ah sorry, I should have introduced myself first. My name is Kotori, Minami Kotori, and a second year fashion design major! I will be your roommate until I graduate! I hope to get along with you!"

Maki was a blushing mess when she nervously took Kotori's held out hand and shook it. For some reason, she can feel herself getting lost on those amber eyes looking directly at her.

"I-I'm Nishikino Maki, first year medical student. I-I hope to get along with you too Minami-senpai."

"Please just call me Kotori, Maki-chan!"

"T-then Kotori, may I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Is it already April 19 today?"

"Yes. I-Is it not your birthday? I-I'm sorry!"

"Ah no, you don't have to apologize. I just forgot that it's my birthday today. But how did you know?"

"Oh! That came with your luggage here."

Maki followed where Kotori is pointing to and found a box of present on the table.

"That will be your table by the way."

As thanks for her warm greeting, and also for commemorating their first day as roommates, Maki insisted that Kotori eat out with her. She didn't thought after all this time, her birdlike roommate would remember that very day.

"I see that you finally remembered Maki-chan." Kotori smiled warmly at her melting away all her resistance from crying earlier.

"Ehh? W-why are you crying?" Kotori panicked a little and moved closer to wipe away the flowing tears off her junior's cheeks.

"Y-you're unfair Kotori! Tell me sooner if you're doing something like this!"

"I just wanted to surprise my beloved junior. Did you not like it?"

"Of course I like it!" Maki hugged her and let her tears fall on her senior's shoulder. "I can't even understand why I am crying right now."

What can she do? Maki can't help her tears probably because she was touched by how much her senior cherishes her more than she thought.

"Haha.. It is okay Maki-chan, let it out. I'm glad you like it." Kotori said as stroking the redhead's back.

After Maki calmed down, they finally started eating the foods Kotori prepared. They happily chatted about the year that passed by them, like how Maki used to be so shy when she first came, or that one time when they almost didn't make it back before the curfew time because some of Kotori's fans were chasing them for an authograph. When they were done, they put the leftovers on their fridge that Maki got for them after she found out Kotori has the habit of bringing home too much food.

"Now it's time for you to open your present Maki-chan."

"Ah that's right."

The redhead took out the small box from the paper bag and opened it revealing a bracelet with beads and music notes hanging on it.

"I made it myself too. I asked one of my seniors in the design class to teach me how to make this. If you remember Eli-senpai. You told me you love music that's why I'm glad I found those music notes."

Maki is not being her usual self today, or more accurately, she isn't her stoic self that most of the people see, when Kotori is around. She is not one to initiate physical contact, but for the second time tonight, she found herself hugging her senior once again.

"Thank you very much Kotori for everything. I don't know what I can do to make it up to you."

"You don't need to make it up to me Maki-chan. I did this because you're dear to me."

Maki let go of their hug and faced Kotori again with her tomato face making her senior tease her. "Hehe.. Your face is so red Maki-chan."

"W-wha- This is your fault you know!"

"Why would it be my fault? Oh, I guess that is just how much Maki-chan loves me, am I right?"

"W-wha-"

One more thing Maki forgot about her senior is that she's fond of kissing her on random spots on her face whenever she gets too embarrassed in front of her senior. Kotori said she can't help it because of how Maki looks when she is blushing. She was reminded of it again after she felt soft lips on her nose.

"That is my apology for teasing you. Hehee.. Come on Maki-chan, it's getting late. We should start preparing to sleep. I'll be taking a bath first okay?"

Just like that, Kotori left her for the bath room. Maki was frozen in place. Even though it isn't the first time her senior had kissed her, it was the first Kotori kissed her on the nose. Usually it was either her cheeks or her forehead and sometimes around her eyes.

 _What if the next time it happens it will be on my…._

Before her imagination reaches what she was about to say, she found herself knocking her head off the wall trying to brushed off the idea.

 _If that ever happens, I'd really lose grip of my heart._


End file.
